Lost And Found
by Blimey The Toad
Summary: Gambit's real brother comes searching for him.
1. Gambit's L'il Bro

Hey, ya'll... I know, Felix ZeyfPO2-4194 is not finished, but this idea kept bugging me. I am working on both simultaneously, and will post the next chapter of Felix soon. Thanks…  
  
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Lost And Found  
  
Jeremy and his friends, William and Sammy, were walking along a mall somewhere in New York City. They had just arrived in the city, and still really didn't know their way around. William and Sammy were 21, and were paternal twin brothers. Their parents had died in a car accident when both were 4, so they had been placed in Saint Paul's orphanage in Mississippi, then transferred to Louisiana's Saint Thomas Aquinas' orphanage when they were 9 and the previous orphanage had been closed. They moved out when they turned 18. It was at Saint Thomas Aquinas' that they met Jeremy, a small boy, with brown hair and bright green eyes.  
  
Jeremy's mother had died while giving birth to him. His father turned to drinking, and eventually died in a drunk driving accident (his fault) when Jeremy was 10. He had one aunt, but she didn't want him-she blamed him for her sister's death, so he was sent to the aforementioned orphanage. He quickly befriended the twins, despite the age difference (he had been 10, they were both 14) and they became an inseparable trio.   
  
When Jeremy was 8, he found a box shoved under his father's bed. In the box, he found his mothers diary, many baby pictures, and a video. The baby pictures were not of him, therefore he became very curious. He slipped the tape into the VCR, and was surprised to find a home movie of his mother giving birth. He was pretty disgusted, as it was his mom, and he was 8, and he didn't really understand, so he fast- forwarded the tape to after the birth, when his mother was glowing with pride and holding a child. But that couldn't be right-he was their first and only. He had no siblings. He kept watching the tape for any signs that might tell him what was going on. It showed the child's face, all scrunched together, and screaming. Then he opened his eyes, and Jeremy gasped in shock-the child had dark eyes, a sea of black with a round disc of red. 'Wow', thought Jeremy, 'that definitely isn't me.' He decided to ask his father about it in the morning, once he sobered up.  
  
The next morning, his father had been angry that he had been into his personal things, but decided it was time he knew.  
  
"Well, Jeremy, before you were born, me and your mama had a son. He was a beautiful child, healthy, but with these weird eyes. They were red, and black, and seemed to glow when he smiled. We named him Joseph Allen, after your Grandpa Joseph. Remember him?" Jeremy nodded. Grandpa Joseph had died when Jeremy was 4, but he still recalled the kind old man who always had candy on hand. "Well, we had him maybe a few hours, and grew to love him, despite his eyes. The doctors recommended he stay in the hospital overnight, as he was a little bit premature. The next morning, we went to pick him up, and he was gone. Stolen in the night. Never found him. Your mama was heartbroken, and I was furious, but we couldn't do anything about it. That's who that baby was in the pictures; your older brother. Don't even know if he's alive anymore."   
  
At that point, Jeremy made a vow to himself to find his brother, Joseph Allen Hoffman. Even at 17, he remembered the vow, and set off to find him.  
  
He ran away from the orphanage then, at 17, and found his old friends, William and Sammy. They were living in Virginia at the time, and agreed to help.   
  
For some reason he didn't know or understand, he felt drawn to New York City, like he could find his answers there, even though there was no logical explanation for it. So that's where they were off to first.  
  
They spent $300 on bus tickets for the three of them, and about $100 on food. By the time they arrived, there was a slight drizzle, which turned into a huge downpour by the time they found shelter in the mall. They walked through the huge building, through crowds of people scurrying around, most trying to eat dinner in the food court nearby, or holding bulging sacks of clothes and candles, electronics, and anything else they could afford, trying to wait out the storm which only seemed to be getting worse. Unaccustomed to such large crowds, and getting quite nervous by all of the commotion, the three ducked into an electronic store, with towers of televisions silently showing the news, or some comedy, or any one of many stations that were showing.   
  
"Geez, Jeremy! I had no idea that New York was this crowded. I mean, I figured it was a bit full, but not overflowing. This is insanity, man!" Stated William. Sammy was quick to voice his agreement.  
  
"Yeah. I mean, we want to help you find your brother and all, but this place is huge. And you only got a hunch that he's even in this city, let alone state. I mean, he was taken from Louisiana, so where d'ya go to find him? New York City!"  
  
Jeremy looked around, taking in his surroundings, trying to gain his bearings before leaving the relatively quiet, peaceful electronic store. He finally turned towards Sammy and William. "I just got a gut feeling he's here. I can't explain it, but I feel it. And I can find him. I got all the information I need on him."  
  
"Yeah, 'cept for his address, phone number, name..."  
  
"I got his name! It's Joseph Allen Hoffman."  
  
"And you seriously think whoever took him kept it? Really, Jeremy, all you have is a birthday, and eye color. I do admit, it's a rare eye color, but he probably got surgery or something for it."  
  
"You can't get surgery to bleach your eyes!"  
  
"Well, fine. Then contacts. But still, with all this anti-mutant stuff everywhere, you think he'd keep those eyes? People'd be calling him a mutant left and right. I bet he..."  
  
"You think he's a mutant?" Jeremy had never considered that before, but now it seemed almost obvious. "We gotta go to all the mutant clubs, and stuff. Track him down like that. That'll make it easier."   
  
Sammy and William sighed. They feared their little friend was going to be disappointed by his brother, or not find him all together. Either way, he'd be heartbroken. He'd set his hopes so high.   
  
"Okay, Jeremy. We'll start just as soon as this storm let's up. We'll ask some folks if they know where to go about finding mutants." Sammy then turned around, saddened by his friend's excited expression, like a 5-year-old on Christmas Day. He looked up to a TV showing a news report. It was a group of mutants fighting another group of mutants. 'Hmm, what a weird coincidence' Sammy thought. Then, the camera focused on a man that looked like Jeremy would in ten years, with the same eyes as the baby from the picture. "Oh, my god. Ya'll look, quick!"   
  
Jeremy and William turned around to look at the TV, and Jeremy eyes grew huge. "It's him, it's Joseph!" Jeremy quickly turned the sound up.  
  
"...the X-Men finally defeated the other mutants, and stopped what would have been Senator J. Walker's assassination. In other news..." the clerk of the store walked over and turned off the TV. "Don't turn that back on." He warned. "The sound disturbs other businesses."   
  
Jeremy however, wasn't interested in that. "Where can we find the X-Men?" He asked.  
  
"The X-Men? Why? Nevermind, your business why you'd want to find those freaks. Your guess is as good as mine. There are rumors that they live in the old Xavier mansion, in one of the nearby towns, but you'd be hard-pressed to even get in there and find out. So much security in that place, can't even throw a damn baseball over the fence without the alarms going off. Trust me, I know. But really, they could be anywhere. Could be nowhere even near New York for all I, or anyone else, knows."  
  
"Thanks." Said Jeremy, then hurried out of the store, headed straight for the doors of the mall, and ran right out into the rain. "I will finally find my brother!" He yelled, still running, followed closely by Sammy and William.  
  
  
The three caught a cab and asked to be taken to the Xavier mansion. The driver gave them an odd expression, then just shrugged and took off. It took then less than 15 minutes to get there with how fast the driver was going. The car stopped in front of a long driveway, leading into a huge front yard full of lush grass and trees, and stopped just in front of a mansion that was larger than any house any of the boys had seen in person. Sammy voiced all of their thoughts with a simple "Wow."  
  
"This is it, you guys. My brother might be right in there. Let's get going." Jeremy stepped forward towards the gate, but was stopped when Sammy and William grabbed his shirt and held him back.   
  
"Dude, hold up! We can't just go walking right up in there. Chances are, your brother doesn't even know you exist. We gotta call 'em first or something..."  
  
"Call 'em?! We're right here! Like hell I'm gonna wait any longer." And with that, Jeremy stepped through the gate, and suddenly... nothing happened. "That was easy. Hey you guys, come on!"  
  
Sammy and William looked at each other, then at Jeremy, and stepped on through. Nothing happened. "Maybe that clerk kid was full of shit."  
  
"Yeah, maybe." Said Sammy, as they continued to walk closer to the mansion. They were almost to the door when a short, incredibly buff hairy guy came running at them full speed. Before anyone had a chance to react, he was upon them, and jumped at William, knocking him down and causing him to scream in fear and pain.   
  
"SHIT! Shit shit shit shit shit! He screamed. "Get 'im off! Get 'im off!" Despite the size of the man, the other two jumped on him, trying to get him off of William. He merely flung them off and knocked William out cold. He then turned towards Jeremy, and leapt at him. Sammy managed to get between the two, and took the brunt of the attack meant for the much smaller boy. It hurt Sammy like hell, but it could have possibly broken several of Jeremy's bones. Sammy couldn't stand back up, but Jeremy held his ground, and clenched his eyes closed in preparation for another attack, but nothing happened.   
  
"Logan, stop it! They're just kids!" Jeremy opened one of his eyes and saw a preppy looking guy, who looked like a model for GQ, wearing red sunglasses and scowling at the short man. The short man, Logan, cursed under his breath and said something about mansion security before stomping off. Sunglasses looked at Jeremy, who was still shaken up about his little interaction with Logan. "Uh... hi."  
  
Sunglasses wasn't the friendliest man in the world, but he was better than Logan. He touched his comm-badge, and spoke into it. "Hank, come out in front of the mansion immediately. Someone here needs medical attention." He then turned towards Jeremy "Why are you here?" He asked, not angry, but not friendly either.  
  
"Um... I... we... are here to speak with Joseph, please."  
  
Then Sunglasses' mouth dropped slightly, but he quickly closed it. "Why do you wish to speak with Joseph?"  
  
"He's my... relative, sir. He probably doesn't know it, but he is."   
  
"I'll let you speak with Joseph, but if this is some kind of prank..."  
  
"It's not, I promise." Jeremy's eyes lit up, and he started to grin. Sunglasses' nodded his head, then motioned for Jeremy to follow him into the mansion.  
  
"Wait! What about them?" Jeremy pointed to his two friends. "I sent someone to help them. Here he is now, actually." He motioned towards a large, hairy blue guy coming from around the corner carrying a large black medical bag. Jeremy gaped at him, but remembered his manners and closed his mouth. He turned and quickly followed Sunglasses into the house.  
  
  
He was told to wait in the living room, and he sat down into a large, comfortable couch seated right in front of a huge TV, complete with Playstation 2, Nintendo NES, Super Nintendo, N64, Sega, even an Atari, among others, a DVD player, 2 VCR's, a huge video and DVD collection, and a satellite receiver. "Wow..."  
  
Suddenly, a man with white hair and blue eyes stepped into the room and sat down next to Jeremy. "I heard you wanted to speak with me."  
  
"You're not Joseph!" cried Jeremy.   
  
Joseph turned red and looked down. "I am now. I am no longer the man I was. Why must everyone torment me. I try and..."  
  
"What are you talking about? Where's the other Joseph? Joseph Allen Hoffman. That's who I need to talk to!"  
  
Joseph looked at him again, confused. "There isn't another Joseph."  
  
"Yes there is! He was on TV! I saw him! He's here, I know it!" He started to cry, as much as he hated anyone see him crying. He was utterly disappointed.   
  
"Maybe you just have the wrong name, or place. What does he look like?"  
  
Jeremy just sobbed and threw the picture at him.  
  
"This is probably Gambit, judging from the eyes. He's here, alright. Do you want me to get him?"  
  
Jeremy brightened up again, and wiped his tears. "Yes, yes! Please!"  
  
A few minutes more of waiting, and the man from the news report was there, with his hands shoved into his pockets and a nonchalant, but curious look on his face, his red-on-black eyes gleaming.  
  
"Homme, you called for me, non? What d'ya want?"  
  
"You're my brother."  
  
"Non, my only brother died a little while back. Don' lie t' me or try t' play games. Tell me, what're you here for."  
  
"I am your brother! You were taken from our parents when you were a few hours old. They never found you... but it looks like I did."  
  
Apparently, something he said struck a cord. "D'you have proof? Anything?"  
  
Jeremy pulled out a picture and handed it to him. "This is you when you were just born."  
  
He hesitated at first, then looked at it. "Oh, merde... my god..." He flipped the picture over. It read 'Joseph Allen Hoffman, 3 hours old. Born August 14, 1974.' The man dropped the picture and walked out of the room, leaving a confused, and slightly frightened boy sitting by himself on a large couch in an unfamiliar room.  
  
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Review, please. Tell me what you think. Like? Dislike? Do tell! 


	2. Gambit's Most Recent Screw-Up

Lost And Found, Chapter Two: Gambit's Most Recent Screw-Up  
  
Author: Blimey The Toad  
  
  
  
Jeremy sat there, stunned, for several minutes. He wanted to cry, but for some reason, he couldn't. Maybe because he didn't want to believe that really happened; his brother, his only living relative (besides the aunt who had made it clear he wasn't welcome anymore), his reason for coming to New York, had just left him, without a word of explanation.  
  
A while later, he heard someone enter the room. He slowly turned his head towards the doorway to look at who it was, and it was the furry blue guy from earlier. They looked at each other, Blue Guy looking fairly uncomfortable, while Jeremy sat there expressionless, quietly waiting for Blue Guy to say whatever it was he had come into the room to say. He finally did.  
  
"Uh, hello Jeremy. I just came to inform that your comrades appear to be on the road to recovery from the injuries they received from Logan. However, I would like to keep them here, at least overnight, until their injuries are completely healed." He paused, looking puzzled. "I thought that Gambit would be in here with you."  
  
That broke the dam of tears, and Jeremy began sobbing. Hank looked at him, unsure at what to do, then he tentatively patted his shoulder. "It's alright, Jeremy. Uh, it'll be okay." Jeremy then flung both arms around Blue Guy and continued to bawl.  
  
"It's not fair, dammit!" He cried. "I came all this way, and that. that. asshole just leaves! I can't believe I was looking forward to meeting him! How could I be so stupid. I shoulda listened to William and Sammy when they told me to forget 'im."  
  
Blue Guy patted Jeremy's back, then told him not to worry about it, that Gambit was probably just in shock and to give him time. Finally, Jeremy stopped crying, and slumped back into the couch.  
  
"I feel like a freakin' baby. I can't believe it. I just cried my eyes out. I haven't done that for years." He looked up towards Blue Guy and noticed his soaked, bare chest, the wet fur sticking out at odd angles, and laughed, odd considering his disposition just moments before.  
  
"Sorry, man. Didn't mean to get your fur wet."  
  
"Call me Hank, and don't worry about it. It isn't the first time."  
  
"So William and Sammy are okay? I feel selfish now, worrying about Joseph when they were seriously hurt. Can I see 'em?"  
  
"Of course, just follow me." Hank led Jeremy to the direction of the Med Lab.  
  
**********  
  
  
  
"So, how're ya'll doin'?" Questioned Jeremy, smirking at William and Sammy, both bandaged and drugged up on painkillers.  
  
'Poor guys' thought Jeremy. 'William looks like he has a broken jaw, and Sammy got two of his ribs broken from Logan's knees hitting his side.' He felt bad for them, but couldn't help but smile at William, with his mouth forced shut from the bandages around his head and jaw, and Sammy trying to talk despite the drugs.  
  
"Man, Jere, we got hit. We got hit bad. And then a blue guy. man, it was weird. This dude, with bald hair, and came, and said something. I don't know, man. You find Ja. Jee. Jo. your brother?"  
  
"Yeah, I found him." He didn't elaborate; he didn't want to burden them just yet, and they probably wouldn't remember what he told them the next morning anyways.  
  
"That's real good, bud. I'm real glad of it." Sammy grinned awkwardly, and William nodded his agreement.  
  
Jeremy smiled at them. "Thanks, you guys. Why don't ya'll get some rest, 'kay? I'll see you both in the morning." They nodded, and fell asleep almost immediately.  
  
Jeremy began to walk out of the lab, but was stopped by Hank.  
  
"Jeremy, where are you going? Have you been assigned a room?"  
  
"No, but I. I don't think I can stay here tonight."  
  
"Don't be ridiculous! There is plenty of space. If you're worried about running into Gambit, I'll make sure you get a room in the women's wing, so you won't be anywhere near him. Deal?"  
  
Hmm. stay the night in a mansion in the women's wing, or walk to the nearest motel, and pay to much for a roach infested room? "Alright, deal."  
  
"Good, now why don't I take you up to see Xavier before bed. Your friends" he motioned towards their beds "have already met him, although I doubt they will remember any of it by morning. But I'm sure he would like to meet you."  
  
Jeremy agreed, and was led to Xavier's office.  
  
**********  
  
Meanwhile, upon the mansion roof.  
  
  
  
Gambit sat, knees drawn up to his chest, chin resting upon his knees, staring at the stars. He did this whenever he needed to think, or whenever the tension got as thick as winter morning fog (alright, I know it sounds dorky, but I didn't want to use the cliché 'thick enough to cut with a knife'). Normally, he came up here to ponder his relationship with Rogue, or think about his past. Once again, he was up here about his past, but this time it wasn't one of his many follies, or a wrong he committed. This time, it was a past he had no control over. His real family.  
  
He'd lived his whole life believing he was abandoned because of his eyes, and was mercifully taken in by the thieves guild. However, judging by the pictures, and the boy he'd left in the room, that wasn't the case. He was 'taken' from his birth parents. 'Taken', as in stolen. Stolen by a thief in the night. A thief.  
  
He couldn't believe it. It had to be a lie. But there was proof; a picture of him as a baby, his name written on the back. A picture, perfect, like it'd been taken care of, however, the corners slightly bent, implying it hadn't been sealed away forever. He wasn't Remy Etienne LeBeau. He was Joseph Allen Hoffman.  
  
"Who de hell am I? Why can't you jus' leave me alone, God? Huh?"  
  
Gambit stood up, charged up a card, flung it into the air as high as it could go, then watched it explode. 'Fool', he thought, as the ashes fluttered down towards the roof. 'You'll never get a break.' He felt a tear slide down his cheek, then sat back down.  
  
Rogue, unseen until this point, floated down beside him. She didn't know why this sudden outburst had occurred, but she assumed it was his past again. That seemed to be the usual reason. She touched his shoulder, and he whirled around to look at her.  
  
"Rogue, please jus' leave me alone." He said softly.  
  
"No, Remy. Ah always leave ya alone, and ya always come up heah to pout. Ah won't leave 'till ya talk ta me 'bout what's botherin' you."  
  
Remy tried to ignore her, but true to her word she didn't move a muscle. He finally decided to get it off his chest. He felt like he was going to explode if he didn't get it out soon, and Rogue was the only person he trusted with his feelings, anyways, so.  
  
"I guess you ain' heard 'bout de whole Joseph t'ing yet, have you?"  
  
"What, you mean you an' him got into it again? Seriously, Remy."  
  
"Non, chere, I me. de t'ing wit' me."  
  
Rogue looked at him oddly, then asked him what the heck he meant.  
  
"Rogue, my brother came by t'day-"  
  
"Henry's alive?"  
  
"Non, my. my real brother."  
  
Rogue's jaw dropped, and she sat there, gaping at him. "Ya. real brotha?"  
  
He nodded, then explained to her what had transpired between them. After he was finished, she slapped him upside the head.  
  
"Ow! What de hell dat be for?" He cried, angrily.  
  
"Ya brother came all this way t' find you, and what do you do? Ya up and leave him! Can you imagine what he's goin' through right now? Ah can't believe you did that, Remy. I really can't." She looked disappointed.  
  
"You s'posed t' be on *my* side, Rogue."  
  
"Not when ya go and do something so downright knuckle-headed as that! Ah think you should go right in there, an' appologize to 'im!"  
  
"I don't hafta do nothin'. He jus' came here t'day an' ruined my life, what little life I had left. I grew up wit' not'ing but lies. Ever'one dere in N'Awlins, my whole family, de whole guild, dey lie to me. Dey *kidnapped* me."  
  
Rogue felt bad for yelling at him, but he deserved it. "That boy didn't have nothin' t' do with that. He just wanted t' find his brotha his all. An' he probably thought you wanted t' see him too. You probably broke his heart, Remy. Ya own flesh an' blood. I admit, mah own blood don' mean much t' me, but they made the decision to send me away. Now you gone an' done that yourself. You sent away the only real family ya know."  
  
Remy just set his jaw and stared ahead. He didn't feel like explaining to her what he felt, and he definitely wasn't in the mood for an argument. For Rogue, the silent treatment worked best. And it didn't fail this time.  
  
"Fine, Remy, just be like that. But this time, ya losin' ya family, and you're the one in control of it. Just don't come complainin' ta me in the future when you feelin' like an idiot for screwin' up again, 'cause this time it's yo' own damn fault." He didn't move a muscle, so she just sighed and floated back up, making her way towards the mansion. He had tried desperately to ignore her, but failed. Now he was forced to think about his most current mistake, and what he was going to do about it. ''Dis' gon' be a long night,'  
  
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A/N: Ya'll dig? Anywho, I just wanted everyone to know what my New Years resolution is to finish all of my stories before I start a new one, and to finish them before February. Yes, that's right, folks. Probably the most hated writer in all of fanficdom (as far as incomplete stories go) will try to redeem herself. Please forgive me. With God as mah winess, Ah'll nevah leave ya'll hanging again! Peesh out, Merry Chrishmas, and a Happy New Year! 


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